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Anxiety: What You Need to Know About Its Harmful Effects

Currently, more than 40 million adults in the U.S. are affected by anxiety. Despite this high number, only about one third of anxiety-ridden individuals seek treatment for their issues. Those who are untreated are left to deal with harsher, more long-lasting effects and consequences.

The mental disease is diagnosed by analyzing many different factors, including genetics, brain chemistry, personality and life events. We assume, of course, that celebrities don’t fall within the range of those inflicted by the disease. After all, they’re jet-setting off to lavish vacations or sipping cosmos in their mansions, right? Wrong.

In recent news, celebrities have spoken out about their experiences with anxiety and depression, shedding light on mental health issues in Hollywood. Some fans, thus, haev responded with their owns stories of anxiety, depression and other mental health issues.

Recently, Selena Gomez announced she’ll be taking some time off to care for herself. "I've discovered that anxiety, panic attacks and depression can be side effects of lupus, which can present their own challenges,” she explained. In early 2014, the star also revealed she'd been struggling with Lupus, which also negatively contributed to her mental health. Fifth Harmony’s Camila Cabello quickly followed suit, choosing to skip a concert because of her difficulties with anxiety. "My heart would beat really fast the whole day. Two hours after I woke up, I'd need a nap because my body was so hyperactive. It was so eff — sorry, but it was so f**ked up. I was scared of what would happen to me, of the things my brain might tell me. I realized the stuff I thought was important isn't worth my health,” she explained after a concert in Dallas.

Though we may be quick to judge stars for crying “poor me” amid their glamorous lifestyles, we must consider who these famous people actually are: people. That’s right — they’ve gone through most of the same human experiences as us all, including puberty, heartbreaks, family issues and more. Thus, it’s only normal that they have the ability to become sad on an everyday basis, or even more, develop more serious mental health concerns.

We spoke with Doctor Maria A. Oquendo, president of the American Psychiatric Association and professor of psychiatry at Columbia University Medical Center to learn more about anxiety and all that comes with it.

How can anxiety be identified?

The Spanish-Puerto Rican M.D. explained to us the severe physical effects of anxiety, which numerious celebrities live with. “Anxiety can present with full-fledged panic attacks (PA) in which the person feels like they are losing control of themselves or losing their mind accompanied by sweating, a sensation that the heart is racing, trouble breathing and tingling in the face and hands. These panic attacks are often confused with heart attacks by the individual. They can last several minutes, seldom more than an hour.”